One-piece reel

ABSTRACT

A reel for winding lightweight material is produced from a single die-cut or stamped blank which folds along crease lines into a unitary assembled reel having a pair of side panels joined by a central core portion.

United States Patent Lewis F. Reas Big Flats, N.Y.

'Oct. 7, 1968 Jan. 12, 1971 Coming Glass Worls Corning, N.Y.

a corporation of New York Inventor Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee ONE-PIECE REEL 5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 242/ll8.8 Int.Cl B65h 75/14 Field of Search 242]] 18.8, 118.7, 118.4, ll8.6, 115, 77.3, 77, 71.8; 206/52,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,247,881 7/1941 Hatfield 242/7l.8 2,477,333 7/1949 Hawkins..... 242/71.8X 2,824,706 2/1958 Rosset et al. 242/1 18.7 2,852,206 9/1958 Bolding 242]] 18.8 3,104,077 9/1963 Struble 242/1 18.8

Primary ExaminerGe0rge F. Mautz Attorney Clarence R. Patty, Jr. and Burton R. Turner ABSTRACT: A reel for winding lightweight material is produced from a single die-cut or stamped blank which folds along crease lines into a unitary assembled reel having a pair of side panels joined by a central core portion.

PATENTED JAN 1 215m INVENTOR. Lewis F. Reas ATTORNEY ONE-PIECE REEL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the past it has been customary to manufacture reels, utilized for winding light wire, line, cord, strip material and the like, from a three-piece corrugated assembly. The assembly included two side sections, and a separate sheet foldable to form a core section having tabs insertable within slots formed in the side sections. In order to assemble the reel, it was necessary to first form the core portion from the separate sheet, then insert the tabs from the core portion within one of the side members, and finally attach the second side member to the tabs on the opposite end of the core portion. Not only was the assembly of such construction time-consuming and accordingly expensive, but also such as assemblyv necessitated the stocking of the various segments in correct proportions in order to form the completed reels.

The present invention obviates the problems encountered with the prior art devices by providing an easily assembled one-piece construction ,composedof end portions which fold along crease lines to form a pair of side panels connected by a unitary core portion.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An improved reel assemblyis fabricated from a novel unitaseparated from central panel portion 12 by means of slit or cut lines 18, whereas connector panel segments 16 are separated from the central and end panel portions by means of slit or cut lines 20. The connector panel segments 16 foldably join the end panel portions 14 to central panel portion 12 by means of crease lines 22. A central spindle opening 24 may be formed centrally of central panel 12 if desired in order to facilitate the positionment of the assembled reel 26 upon a winding spindle.

In assembling the reel 26 from the blank 10, the end portions 14 are folded into a plane parallelto the central panel 12 by means of connector segments 16 and crease lines 22; When the blank is in its assembled position, the central panel 12 lies in one plane and forms one side panel 12a of the assembled reel 26, whereas the end panels 14 lie in a common plane and abut along slit lines 18 to form the opposite side panel 14a of the reel. The connector panel segments 16 form a central winding core portion 160 and maintain the side panels 12a and 14a in predetermined spaced-apart parallel planes.

As shown, the side panel 14a of reel 26 is provided with a square open portion 28 which is partially surrounded by the core portion 160. In operation, the assembled reel 26 is positioned over a square spindle hub which fits within the opening 28 and may have an alignment pin which projects through central spindle opening 24, in order to facilitate the winding of material upon the reel. If desired, the abutting joint between end panels 14 may be taped together, although this has not been found necessary since the winding of material on the reel functions to maintain the reel in an assembled position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of a blank for forming an assembled reel construction embodying the present invention. I

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of, an assembled reel formed from the blank shown in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings, a blank-l0 is shown having a central panel portion 12 and a pair of end panel portions 14 connected together by intermediately disposed portion 160 to facilitate rotation of the wheel and the winding of such material thereon. Although the side panels are shown with a predominately circular outer periphery, it will be apparent that the contour of the periphery maybe varied within limits 'as desired. The reel may be manufactured from various materials such as corrugated board, fiberboard, solid fiber, rejuvenated chip, metal, or paper.

Although I have now describedv the now preferred embodiment of my invention it will be apparent that various changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as defined in the appended claims. I I

. Iclaim: l. A unitary planar blank construction for forming an assembled reel by manipulating various'portions of the blank which comprises, a central panel portion, a pair of opposed semicircular and panel portions abutting opposite sides of said central panel portion, and a connector panel segment intermediately disposed between each said end panel portion and said central panel portion; each said connector-segment being formed partly out of central portions 'of one'of said end panel portions and the remainder thereof being formed out of said central panel portion; slit lines extending between each said The reel 26 is utilized for both in-process usage and for shipping and storing lightweight windable material such as wire, cord, line and strip material. As previously mentioned, a spindle is positioned within the opening 28 formed by the core foldably connected to a central panel portion by means of intermediately disposed connector panel segments. The blank may be die-cut or stamped from any suitable material such as corrugated, fiber or shipboard. The end panels, central panels and connector panels are all initially formed in the plane of the die-cut board; however, the connector panels are foldable 90 to both the end panels and central panel to form a core portion therebetween, with end panels and side panel being positioned in parallel planes spaced-apart by the core portion.

It thus has been an object of the present invention to pro vide an improved easily assembled reel construction through the utilization of a novel unitary blank configuration wherein a central panel portion forms one side 'of the assembled reel, a

connector panel segment and portions of the central panel and end panels from which said connector panel segment is formed; and crease lines extending between end portions of said slit lines and foldably connecting each said connector panel segment to said central panel portion and one of said end panel portions for foldably positioning said end panel portions in a common plane parallel to and spaced apart from the plane of said central panel portion.

2. A blank construction as defined in claim 1 wherein each said end panel portion is connected to said central portion by a connector panel segment, and a slit line, interrupted by said connector panel segment separates each said end panel portion from said central panel portion.

3. An improved reel constructionforined from a unitary blank which comprises, a unitary first side panel, a two-section second side panel, a pair of connector panels forming a core portion between said first and second side panels, said connector panels formed unitarily with and foldably connected to both said first and second side panels, said connector panels maintaining both sections of said second side panel in a comrn'on plane parallel to and spaced'apart. from said unitary first side panel, and said two-section second side panel having abutting edge portions extending centrally of said core portion and lying parallel to the connector panels forming said core portion.

4. A reel construction as defined in claim 3 wherein said- @73 3 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 355 5 160 Dated January 12, 1971 Inventofls) Lewis F. Rees It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, line 15, "as" should read --a.n--; Column 1, line 65 "shipboard" should read --chipboard--5 Column 1, lines 27 through 61, delete "con-nector panel segments 16. through .'.'within the opening 28 formed by the core" and insert in Column 2, line 19 after "connected together by intermediately disposed..."-

Signed and sealed this 11th day of May 1971.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER ,JR Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patent: 

1. A unitary planar blank construction for forming an assembled reel by manipulating various portions of the blank which comprises, a central panel portion, a pair of opposed semicircular end panel portions abutting opposite sides of said central panel portion, and a connector panel segment intermediately disposed between each said end panel portion and said central panel portion; each said connector segment being formed partly out of central portions of one of said end panel portions and the remainder thereof being formed out of said central panel portion; slit lines extending between each said connector panel segment and portions of the central panel and end panels from which said connector panel segment is formed; and crease lines extending between end portions of said slit lines and foldably connecting each said connector panel segment to said central panel portion and one of said end panel portions for foldably positioning said end panel portions in a common plane parallel to and spaced apart from the plane of said central panel portion.
 2. A blank construction as defined in claim 1 wherein each said end panel portion is connected to said central portion by a connector panel segment, and a slit line interrupted by said connector panel segment separates each said end panel portion from said central panel portion.
 3. An improved reel construction formed from a unitary blank which comprises, a unitary first side panel, a two-section second siDe panel, a pair of connector panels forming a core portion between said first and second side panels, said connector panels formed unitarily with and foldably connected to both said first and second side panels, said connector panels maintaining both sections of said second side panel in a common plane parallel to and spaced apart from said unitary first side panel, and said two-section second side panel having abutting edge portions extending centrally of said core portion and lying parallel to the connector panels forming said core portion.
 4. A reel construction as defined in claim 3 wherein said second side panel is provided with a square open portion bounded by said core portion to receive a mating reel spindle.
 5. A reel construction as defined in claim 3 wherein said abutting portions are joined together. 